Ball cover



Nov. l5, 1927.,

T. J. HARTMAN BALL COVER Filed Feb.` 1, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 AJ i Nov. l5, 1927.

T. J. HARTMAN BALL COVER Filed Feb, 1, leze 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VIII/l v n.

Patented Nov. 15T, 1927.

UNITED STATES Lentes PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS J. HARTMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BALL covna.

Application filed February 1, 1926. Serial No. 85,174. i

My invention relates to a ball cover, and more particularly to a cover or casing for a basket ball, football, or the like; andthe main object is to provide such a cover which is adapted for housing or enclosing a stemless bladder by using invisible lacing or stitching, and which cover is also adapted for enclosing` the usual bladder with a stem by employing lacing for tightening the cover in the customary manner.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

rlhe invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter de scribed and claimed.

he invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which, 4 f

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the improved cover enclosing a stemless bladder, the slit of the cover being closed or fastened by the use of invisible stitching;

Figs. 2 and 3 are cross sectional views taken on lines 2-2 and 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 41 is a plan view of my improved cover enclosing a bladder with a stem, and being fastened or tightened over the bladder by the use of the customary lacing; and,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4t.

The preferred form of construction illustrated in the drawings comprises an outer cover or casing 10 provided with a slit 11 having an enlarged or cut out part 12 forming an opening for a pump nozzle or for a valve stem. Reinforcing strips 18 are fastened in the cover alongside the slit- 11, as indicated in the drawings, and a covering iflap 14 is fastened inward of the reinforcing strips at one side of the slit, as by the use of suitable stitching 15 or the like, an opening 16 being provided in said fla and registering with the opening 12 extending through the cover and the reinforcing strips.

This cover is adapted for use with a bladder 17 having a short valve stem 18 fastened therein with a rubber washer or member 19 and suitable cement, and generally known in the trade as a stemless bladder. This short stem is extended through the opening 16 in flap 14 and a collar 20 is threaded or removably fastened on the stem outward of the flap 14, as best shown in Fig. 2, so that the end of the same rests beneath or in the lower part of opening 12 in the cover and the reinforcing strips. When the stemless bladder is used with this cover, blind lacing or stitching 21 is used to fasten the parts` of the cover together so as to close theslit.

The stemless bladder, enclosed in my cover as outlined above, may bereadily inflated inserting the pump nozzle through opening 12 into the valve stem 18, and without opening the blind lacing or stitching 2l, and when this bladder leaks or is injured in any manner the stitching 21 may be cut or opened and the co'llar 20 removed from the stem, whereupon the stem may be withdrawn from the flap 14 and the bladder removed through the slit, and may be replaced by the usual type of bladder 22 as shown in Figs. f1 and 5, the usual stem 23 of this bladder being folded over between Hap 14 and the outer part of the cover, a lace 2&1 being then used to close the slit and tighten the cover in the customary manner.

It is apparent from the above disclosure that this form of cover is wel'l adapted and arranged for use with a stemless bladder and with invisible lacing or stitching, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and is alsoy well adapted for use with the customary bladder having a stem and by the use of visible lacing, as shown'in Figs. d and 5; and it is further apparent that this form of cover with the steinless bladder therein provides a ba'll which has no dead parts or weighted parts, and with which practically the same results are secured during use, in whatever way the ball strikes the floor or ground or is passed from man to man.

l/Vhile I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device comprising a cover having a slit with an enlarged part forming an opening, said cover being adapted to optionally receive a stemless bladder and a bladder having a stem, lace holes provided adjacent said slit, a closing iap fastened in said cover beneath said slit and having an opening, a bladder in said cover having a valve stem extending throughthe flap opening to the cover opening, and removable means on said stem for holding it in position on said flap, said device being arranged to permit the removal of said means from the stein for removing said bladder and replacing it with a bladder having a stein to be enclosed in said cover, and a lacing interlaced through the opposite sides of the slit to enclose the stein of the last-mentioned bladder.

' 2. An inflatable ball comprising a casing adapted to optionally receive a stemless bladder and a bladder having a stem, said casing having a longitudinal slit therein, reenforcing stripssecured to the underface ot the casing at opposite sides of the slit, a iiap secured to one ofthe re-enlorcing strips and extending across such slit, an iniiatable element insertable in the casing through the slit and provided With a valve stein normally arranged Within the circumference of the casingy and extending through the flap, a nut threaded on the valve stein against the flap, and means for closing the slit.

3. In a pneumatic ball, a casing adapted to optionally receive a stemless bladder and a bladder having a stem, said casing being provided with a slit to permit the insertioii of an inilatable member provided with an inlating stein normally retained Within the casing, stitching passing through the casing to normally close the slit and arranged to be removed for the purpose of inserting a new inflatable member therein after the first one has become delated, and a lace to be interlaced through rows of openings along the opposite sides of the slit to retain the latter closed after the second inflatable member has been positioned therein.

4.v In an inflatable ball, an outer covering having an opening adapted to optionally receive a stemless bladder and a bladder with a stein, a stitching permanently closing said opening when the cover encloses a bladder of 'the stemless type, said stitching being adapt- THOMAS J. HARTMAN 

